Just getting back from the trip and 81 was definitely the way to go. Very little truck traffic and way more scenic than the sections of 95, 295 and NJ Turnpike we traveled on our way back. The lack of truck traffic may have been due to our traveling on a weekend as well.

Not sure now where the heck i saw the all the tire retread debris during my last trip a couple years ago, may have been closer to Knoxville on 81. But the roads were in good shape and very little tire debris.

We must be living in the Nascar generation as i did between 70-80 most of the way and people were constantly passing me.

We stayed one night on Myrtle Beach, then on up to Ocracoke on the Outer Banks and then over to Cape Hatteras. It just happened to be bike week on the Outer Banks, so we stopped in at a couple dealers and one other event location. Seemed a lot lower key than bike weeks i have been to up in Laconia, NH but still an added bonus we werent expecting.

Drove up to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel which was pretty interesting to ride across and then up to Assateague/Chincoteague state parks to see the wild horses. If your ever in the area and have time to stop by, its worth the trip. We saw some horses from a distance (and fenced in) on the Chincoteague side of the island and then rode around to the Assateague side and saw some up close and personal as there are about 300 of them that roam wild on the island.
Funny thing happened on our way out of the park, we parked at the ranger station on our way out and i walked across the street to ask the ranger if the bathrooms were open and as i turned around to walk back across the street, this woman stops across the street and says something to me, i didnt hear her as i had my modular helmet on. As i start to walk closer to her, she starts waving her arms and pointing. I turned to look at what she was pointing at and this horse runs about 10' behind me at a full gallop down the road. If only the cameras were rolling...

 

You took 95 north on Your return? In 3 weeks I'm going to Fla and wanted to make time getting there. I've been on the fence of trying 95 south on sat morn of Memorial day weekend or heading over to 81. 95 is much shorter, But! You made it through (around)DC and Balt. ok? This weekend I'm taking the jersey tpk and 95 up to Ma. There really is no other way around for Me. It is stressful but I've done it many times.

 

Only got on 95 for a short period near Wilmington Delaware and then hopped onto the NJ turnpike. We were coming up from Dover and the Delmar peninsula.
We came from Myrtle Beach and pretty much followed the coast up to the outer banks. Came up to Virginia Beach and went over the Chesapeake Bridge/Tunnel onto the Delmas peninsula. Not a route you would want to take if you were in a hurry. 81 was great as I said but it'll only get you so far heading south and then you'll need to take another route to keep heading south. We took 77 down near Roanoke to get us to Columbia, SC. 77 was pretty decent with the exception of passing through Charlotte.
Might want to consider getting up towards Nyack, NY and going over the Tapanzee Bridge and follow the Meritt Parkway on your trip up to MA. Keeps you away from NYC and is a more scenic ride on the parkway.

 

Being a native from Virginia I avoid 95 at all costs, it has become so bad it is bumper to bumper constantly, only good time to go thru there is between 11:00 pm and 2:00 am, and sometimes during those time they have major construction back ups.